Addleshaw Goddard (AG) and the Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) have organised a workshop relating to the challenges and opportunities in Equity Capital Markets in Qatar with a focus on Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) and a broad range of regulatory issues.

Partner and Head of AG's Qatar office Ahmad Anani, opened the discussion by addressing the pivotal role the QSE has played in the development of Qatari capital markets by connecting issuers, investors and policy makers to create a more streamlined and efficient system for all equity market stakeholders.

In his key note address, Mr. Abdulaziz Al Emadi, the Director of listing at Qatar Stock Exchange, thanked Addleshaw Goddard for putting together the successful event and stated that:

"Qatar Stock Exchange is ready to provide all possible assistance for companies to overcome the obstacles hindering them from being publicly listed on QSE."

The event consisted of two panels. The first panel was moderated by Ahmad Anani and focused on issues that matter to issuers and investors including valuation issues, liquidity, disclosure standards and other relevant matters. The panellists included Mr. Haithem Al Katerji, CEO of Al Rayyan Investment, Mr. Venkatesh Krishnaswamy, Senior Advisory Partner at KPMG, and Dr. Kamel Abdallah, the current CEO of Vita F&B Capital, who was the previous CEO of Baladna during its IPO. 

The second panel was moderated by Dean Jaloudi from our Doha office and the panellists consisted of Mr. Ishaq Burney, General Counsel of Qatar Financial Centre, and Adv. Abhishek Kalla, a renowned capital markets lawyer in Oman and Partner in Mohammed Al Barami Advocates and Legal Consultants. The panel focused on thinking outside the box for solutions to challenges that markets face. The second panel also discussed the practices of other markets in order to consider solutions and opportunities for the local market.